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Historic Preservation Commission recommends landmarking 1 Montgomery Street (former Crocker National Bank)
Summary
Planning staff recommended and the Commission voted to forward a landmark-designation recommendation for 1 Montgomery Street to the Board of Supervisors, citing its 1908 banking-hall interiors and association with Willis Polk; staff and San Francisco Heritage urged protections for banking halls' public access.
The Historic Preservation Commission voted to recommend that the Board of Supervisors designate 1 Montgomery Street — the former Crocker National Bank building — as a San Francisco landmark. Planning staff presented an eligibility report noting the building’s design by Willis Polk (1908), ornate interior banking halls with ornamental work by sculptor Arthur Putnam, and its significance in the reconstruction of the Financial District after the 1906 earthquake. The period of significance was described as 1908–1924.
Elizabeth Jean Keer and Pilar (planning staff) said the building retains sufficient integrity despite later removal of upper stories; staff recommended forwarding a resolution to the Board of Supervisors. San Francisco Heritage’s Catherine Petrin told commissioners the building ranks among downtown’s most important historic banking halls and recommended a study of trends converting banking halls to private office space.
Commissioners discussed preserving public access to the banking hall as part of any conditional-use approvals and noted the planning commission had previously required maintenance of public access as a condition of converting parts of the building to office use. The motion to recommend landmarking the property was made and seconded and passed unanimously among participating commissioners (6–0; one commissioner recused). The Commission will forward the recommendation and findings to the Board of Supervisors for final consideration.
Next steps: The Board of Supervisors will consider the proposed landmark ordinance; staff indicated the property sponsor will be required to follow certificate-of-appropriateness review for future alterations affecting the interior banking hall.
